Marana Lark Book 4: To Love A Sparrow
by pirateprincezz10113
Summary: Marana Lark is now Marana Sparrow. She and Jack join forces with Beckett's new wife, but then find themselves hopelessly lost. Can Marana use her wits and her intelligence to save them?
1. A New Friend

_**The Marana Lark Series: Book Four**_

_**To Love a Sparrow**_

**Chapter One: An New Friend**

For Marana Sparrow, it was all over. It began with a brand on her forearm and ended with a pair of shackles on her wrists. In tears, she walked between the two redcoats, towards Port Royal prison. Her right arm was burning with pain, and it only felt worse when she touched it. She had also been tattooed. Her red tattoo depicted a lark and a sparrow holding a rose between them.

When they got to the prison, the redcoats pushed her into a cell. She shouted after them as they began to walk away, "But I didn't do anything wrong!" The younger of the soldiers replied to her, "Tell that to Lord Beckett, miss. I'm just doing my job." There a slight sympathy in his voice. They left silently. In her agony and despair, Marana had not seen Jack. She stared at him in disbelief. Then she kneeled on the dusty floor and leaned on the bars that separated their cells. Jack touched her face. "I'm so glad you're safe, Marana."

"I could say the same for you, Jacky." Then she stuck out her arm. She removed the bandage that covered it and revealed the brand and tattoo to her husband. Jack looked as if he might be sick. Her arm was bright red and covered with open blisters. On the brand itself, the skin had come off, and it was sticky with blood. When the branding iron had touched her arm, she had screamed so loud that a soldier had to clamp his hand over her mouth to keep her quiet. In shame, she covered it back up and sighed. "Oh Jack, if only the world wasn't so evil." He reached through the bars and stroked her hair. She leaned forward and kissed him. Her tears touched his face. Then they heard something.

Marana quickly let go of Jack and stood up. Someone was coming down the stairs. She hastily wiped away her tears. She didn't want to look pathetic; she wanted to keep her sanity at all cost.

Beckett emerged from the stairs. But something was different about him: he was holding the hand of a young and beautiful woman. She had wavy blond hair that was tied up into a ponytail, and blue eyes. Marana spoke, "Well, Beckett, we meet again." He smirked. "Well, now you are on the losing end. For you are _my _prisoners now, and let me say, you look downright weak right now. I suppose you would like to kill me for branding you like that, but I could say that it was rather enjoyable." Marana was fighting back tears, as well as the urge to reach out and strangle him. Jack came to her rescue. "I'll have you know, Beckett, that we still have hope. I was busted out of here at least a dozen times already, and it'll happen again." The young woman's eyes met Marana's. She came over and said to Beckett, "I would like a word alone with these two, Cutler. I'll see you outside." He left stubbornly, and then she spoke, "I want to get you two out of here."

Jack looked surprised. "Where does your allegiance lie?"

She undid her hair and replied, "My name is Celeise Beckett. And my allegiance lies with anyone who desires freedom from my husband's cruelty. I was forced to marry him, and you two look quite desperate. By the way, what are your names?" Jack smiled slightly. "Captain Jack Sparrow and this is my wife Marana." Celeise grinned. "Well, Jack and Marana, I promise you that I will free you from this prison before my husband can harm you, and I will turn my knife to my heart if I break my promise." She turned and ran from the prison. Jack was surprised. "Marana, love, do you really think that little lady will get us out of here?"

Marana had been thinking the same question. She shrugged and sat on the bench of her cell. Looking up at the high window, she noticed that the sun was setting. She leaned back against the wall and fell asleep.

She slept restlessly, waking up often and peering at Jack. He was sound asleep. Then her cell door opened suddenly. Celeise was shoved in, and the door shut. As the guard went away, Marana inquired, "And how are you supposed to get us out of here if you're locked up, too?" Celeise was excited. "This is all part of my plan. Listen to this: We wait for complete darkness, and then I unlock the door with the keys that I obtained from a guard, and we just leave. It's pretty simple." Marana was still unconvinced. "And how did you get said keys?"

Celeise lifted the key ring and whispered, "When the guard was bringing me down here, we started arguing, and then I just reached into his pocket and took the keys. So do you want me to get you out or not?" Marana nodded vigorously. Celeise looked at the window. It was completely dark out. She stuck the ring through the bars and inserted the key into the lock. When it clicked she pushed open the door. Then she unlocked Jack's cell. Together, Jack and Marana holding hands, they snuck through the streets of Port Royal. They caught their breath under a bridge. But then they heard voices. Jack pulled Celeise and pulled her behind a large palm tree. He kept his hand over her mouth. Marana hid nearby. A voice reached their ears.

"They escaped the prison. The doors are open."

"Was my wife with them?" came Beckett's cold, drawling voice. "She went missing herself a few hours ago."

"We don't know yet, sir. But we will watch out for them."

"Alright, gather every redcoat in Port Royal and have them split up and search for them."

"Right away, sir."

Jack released his grip on Celeise. Marana came out. Celeise whined, "Oh no, my husband's after me!" Marana put a protective arm around her shoulder. "It's alright Celeise. You've gotten Jack and me out of prison. We won't let Beckett harm you." Jack separated them and said, "We have to get out of here, _now._" He took their hands and pulled then to the edge of the bridge. They could hear the soldiers marching over them. "Now, we would do well to stay out of sight. We should get out to the docks and take one of the ships."

Celeise grinned evilly. "May I suggest the _Divider_? That's my husband's ship. She's very fast, and she has many cannons." Jack was surprised. "That would be alright. Now which one is it?" Celeise pointed, and Jack smiled.

Soon after that, they were on board. The crew was gone, so the ship was empty. Jack and Marana went to raise the anchor. Marana shouted to Celeise, "We'll take care of the sailing. Just sit back and relax. By the way, how can we thank you for getting us out?"

"Just consider me a friend!" And Marana was proud to.


	2. Love Is Not Present Between Us Now

"**Love Is Not Present Between Us Now"**

Beckett had every able-bodied soldier on the island searching for his wife, and his two prisoners. He accompanied the largest group on his white horse, wondering why his wife would just leave him like that, with two pirates. He had slight feelings for her. She was beautiful and strong, but very rebellious. He began to think that he had only married her for her family's wealth. He got a sick feeling in his mind. _Maybe she hates me. I know she doesn't love me. I could see that from the beginning. _He pushed the thought away and turned his focus back to search.

Back on the _Divider, _Marana woke to find that Jack was not in bed with her. She got up and crossed the cabin to her trunk. As she searched for a set of clothes, her eyes fell on the little mirror beneath one of her dresses. It brought back painful memories of when she had been engaged. Her mother had told her that she was to marry her sworn enemy, and it had torn her apart. Her fiancé had given her the mirror during her visit to Port Royal. He had said that she was the most beautiful girl he'd ever laid eyes on, and then he gave her the mirror. Marana looked into it and remembered the most painful memory of all: when he had slapped her. She had calmly told him that she was in love with another man, and that he would never win her heart. he had lost control, slapped her, and shouted that he never wanted to see her again. That had ended their engagement, but not the pain in the poor young woman's heart. Back in reality, Marana looked into the mirror and saw her pretty face, which was now stained with tears. She took it and angrily smashed it against the desk. Broken glass went everywhere, and she was cut in several places, but it felt good.

Jack came in to see what had happened, and he found his wife in tears. He picked her up gently and sat down on the bed with her on his lap. She wrapped her arms around his neck and cried into his shoulder. "Jack, I was just remembering my cruel fiancé." Jack hugged her tightly. "Marana, I never knew you were engaged." She lifted her face to meet his eyes. "Jacky, when you left me in Port Royal, my mother told me that I was engaged."

"Love, why didn't you tell me?"

She stopped crying. "Jack, like you said about the necklace, I didn't think you would be able to handle it." She stood triumphantly and started picking up the shards of broken glass from the mirror. Jack kneeled down to help her. He looked into her eyes with a stern look. "You know that it's my job to help you through all of your problems. You made a choice to keep that from me. And I don't think that was very smart."

Marana looked angry. "Jack, would you just let me make my own choices and take my own risks and take care of my own feelings?" She stood up and looked down on him. He stood up as well and stood about an inch from her. "Marana, when I proposed to you, I didn't know that you had another man engaged to you. If I had known that, I would have left it up to you. It makes me feel odd when you keep things like that from me." Marana's tears came back. "Jack, will you just understand that there are some things in this world that aren't meant to be known? Just let me deal with my own life! Just because you're my husband doesn't mean that you have to know every little thing about me!" She slapped him across the face and stormed out of the cabin. She climbed onto the bowsprit and sat with her legs dangling over the sides. She thought, _I could just jump over the edge and end all of my misery. _

"Marana, are you alright?" Celeise was standing behind her. She placed a comforting hand on Marana's arm. She said, "If you're having problems with Jack, I know what it feels like. Cutler can be pretty cruel sometimes. But I know that Jack loves you. I can tell by the way he's always looking at you." Marana winced at the mention of Jack. She got down and faced her new friend. "Celeise, do you love your husband?" She looked down and replied, "Yes, I do love him. But he's really mean to me sometimes. I usually end up crying. But he's really sweet to me when he's not being mean." Marana looked out at the ocean. "I'm just really angry with Jack right now. He's treating me like a baby. He doesn't think I can take care of myself."

'Well, I don't know you much yet, Marana Sparrow, but I can already say that you are a beautiful, strong, and determined young woman. And I admire you." Marana reached out and gave her a delicate hug. "Thank you, Celeise."

She let go and went back to Jack's cabin. Right away, she grabbed her sword belt and clipped it around her waist. Jack glared at her with a crease between his eyebrows. She returned the glare and left the cabin. Her last words before she left were, "Love is not present between us now."


	3. The Pirates Are Found

**The Pirates Are Found**

Beckett had finally found out where his wife had gone: she and Marana and Jack had stolen his ship and left the town. He stared angrily out at the bay. He was extremely surprised that his delicate wife could have helped two pirates escape from prison _and _help them steal his ship. Then he realized something: he had left no guards on the ship the night they escaped. He was angry at himself for being so stupid.

He stood motionless on another ship, the _Free Being. _He despised the ship, since it had once belonged to a pirate, but it was almost as good as his other ship. He was determined to find his ship, his prisoners, and the woman whom he was sure he loved. He had prepared a large fleet of at least ten vessels to find all of them. He was becoming obsessed.

Meanwhile, Marana and Jack were fighting again.

"Jack, for the last damn time, you are not in control of me!"

"You need to get your head on straight, Marana. I'm not trying to control you; I'm just trying to help you!"

"And when you did that, you sound like you want to control me! So I don't want or need your help anymore!"

"Are we ever going to stop fighting?"

"Not until you let me be the woman that I really am!"

"And what woman is that?"

Marana was triumphant. "A woman who doesn't have a jerk of a husband like you!" She slapped him and started to leave. But then she stopped. "Oh and by the way, I'm pregnant." Jack was shocked. He looked deep into her eyes and said, "Marana, my love, are you sure?"

She calmed down. "Yes, Jack, I'm sure. Celeise has had to deliver three of her sisters, and she knows the signs of pregnancy." She stepped a little closer to Jack. "But that still doesn't change the fact that my baby is going to have an idiot of a father!" She stepped back. Then she saw something extraordinary: a tear on Jack's cheek. She walked up to him and slowly took his hands. He leaned into her and wrapped his arms around her waist. She kissed his cheek. "Jacky, I think we're settled now. I am so sorry for doing this to you. I didn't realize how cruel I was being until I saw that tear." She pulled back and kissed his lips gently. He put his hand to her belt and fingered the medallion that he had given her. Marana pulled away and left the cabin. She found Celeise on the bowsprit.

"Celeise, I have something to tell you." But as Celeise started to get off, she tipped off the edge and fell into the water, screaming.

"CELEISE!" Marana stood on the rail. Jack came running out. "Darling, what are you doing?" She didn't respond. She threw her belt to Jack and dove expertly into the ocean. She saw Celeise's delicate body drifting slowly deeper. Marana swam as fast as she could. She reached Celeise and grabbed her waist. Then she heard something. There was another ship passing over them. She ducked as she was covered in shadow. The water rushed over them. Marana was desperate for air. She swam to the surface as fast as she could. When she burst up from the water, she took in deep breaths of air. She held Celeise as tight as she could as Jack threw a rope to her. She grabbed it as Jack pulled her onto the ship. He took Celeise and put her in his cabin. Marana dried herself and looked out at the other ship. "On, no!" It was Beckett's ship!

She saw her archenemy and glared at him. She yelled, "Jack, come out here!" He ran out and took his wife's hand. "Marana, you can't be out here. You or the baby could get hurt. Just stay in my cabin and keep Celeise comfortable." Marana gave him a tearful hug and kiss. "Don't die, my Jacky!" She turned and hurried to Celeise's aid. She bolted the door and kneeled at the side of the bed. Celeise gasped herself awake. "Marana, what happened to me? I remember water, and seeing black." Marana explained everything to her and hugged her. "Oh, Celeise, Beckett's on that ship."

"Really?" She jumped up and unbolted the door without waiting for a response. She ran out on deck, which was deserted. She looked out at the _Free Being, _where there was a battle going on. With no time to lose, she grabbed a rope and swung over. She fought through the dozens of men and found her husband. She hugged him. He dropped his sword and wrapped his arms around her back. She kissed his cheek. "Celeise, why did you leave Port Royal?" He was stern. She stepped back and remembered her motive. "My Cutler, I swore to Jack and Marana that I would free them from your cruelty. They are free now, and you won't be able to snatch them again. As you might not know, you now you can't separate them without breaking the law." She took a deep breath. "Marana is pregnant. There is a law that states that you cannot separate a pregnant woman from her husband until the baby is born. And she qualifies as a pregnant woman. So you're out of luck for nine months, Cutler." He was surprised by his wife's boldness. He reached out and hugged her again. Then she decided to admit. "Cutler, I love you."

He was shocked. He touched her face. "My dear Celeise, I love you too." She smiled lovingly. They leaned forward and kissed for the first time. They didn't care that there was a battle going on around them. When they broke apart, Celeise went back to the _Pearl. _She checked on Marana. She was up, and staring out the window. She had a grin on her face as she watched Jack take down a whole bunch of stupid soldiers. She saw Celeise and said, "Did you find him?" Celeise sat on the bed next to her and replied with excitement, "Yes, and I told him that I love him! And he said it back!" Marana was surprised. She hugged her and whispered, "Jack and I are finally a loving couple again." They broke apart with Celeise whispering back, "Marana, what's wrong?" She was looking sick.

Marana swaggered and fainted.


	4. tragedy for the Lark Family

**Tragedy for the Lark Family **

Jack brought Marana back to Port Royal. He wanted her to have a doctor when she delivered. He brought her to her old house, which had been repaired from when it was attacked by pirates. She walked through the remodeled house with a smile on her face. Then she bumped into someone. She looked up and saw her twin sister, Grace. Grace hugged her like she never wanted to let go. When she finally did let go, she said, "Marana, I'm pregnant!" They burst into fits of screams and giggles and hugged each other. Then Marana took a good look at her sister. Her hair had been cut from her waist to her shoulders, and it was layered. Her dress was elegant but had a boyish touch to it. She was taller, and had an air about her that expressed her husband, Kyle. Marana said with a smile, "My dear sister, you've changed quite a bit! I'm gone about a year, and you've become even more gorgeous!" Grace blushed and said, "Kyle and I have finally decided to become parents." Then she got a look of fear on her face. "Marana, have you heard from Julie or Sasha?" Marana shook her head.

"Marana, Julie's very sick, and so is Sasha! They're at Julie's house, and we have to go see them!" Marana took her sister as she began to cry. The girls cried in each other's arms. Then Marana spoke up, "We'll go see them tomorrow. I'll have horses ready." Grace wiped away her tears. "Thank you, my dear sister." The twins just stared at each other for a while. Then Marana turned to Jack. "Jack, let's go up to my room. I need to rest." Grace went up to the room that she shared with Kyle. There was nobody else living in the house. Their mother, Lucy, had remarried and moved to France, Caroline was dead, Sasha and Julie were at Julie's house, and Conrad was out at sea.

Marana and Jack reached Marana's old bedroom. She sat on the bed and clutched her belly. She was in slight pain. Jack sat beside her and held her by the sides of her waist. "Are you alright, my love?" She nodded and hugged him. She was about two weeks along in her pregnancy. She lay back in her husband's arms. He held her close to him.

Later on, Marana was in one of her old nightgowns. She got in bed with Jack and looked out at the ocean. The house overlooked the ocean.

"Jacky, do you want the baby?"

"Of course, love, I want to have a little Sparrow." He kissed her. She touched his face. "How about this: if the baby is a boy, then you can name him, and if it's a girl, I will name her Grace, after my sister." Jack grinned. "Marana, if the baby is a boy, I will name him Jack, after the one and only, of course." She grinned back and kissed him gently. He held her close to him as they fell asleep.

Marana woke up early the next morning, so she could find horses for the ride to Julie's house. She put on a dark magenta gown and tied her hair into a ponytail. She rushed out the door. She ran across the fields and stopped at Caroline's grave. She whispered, "I love you, Carrie," and ran to the stable. She grabbed the lead ropes of two horses. She rode one and tied the other rope to the bridle. She rode up to the house and secured them to a post. Marana went inside and woke Kyle, Grace, and then Jack. She told Grace, "We have to leave soon if we want to see Julie before noon." Grace stumbled out of bed as Marana went to wake her husband. She whispered in his ear, "Good morning, my love." He pulled her down on the bed with him and kissed her. Her hair curtained his face. He sat up and stroked her arm. "Marana, you're about as ravishing as ever."

They went downstairs. Grace and Kyle were ready to leave. Grace wore a rose-red dress and a straw hat. Kyle was wearing brown pants and a white shirt. Grace held up a leather bag. "I brought some food for the trip."

The four of them went outside and got onto the horses: Jack and Marana on black one and Grace and Kyle on a brown one. They rode off down the road. Marana and Kyle had the reins, since Grace and Jack didn't know how to ride. They rode past fields, forests, and lakes, until they finally reached Julie's house. They knocked on the door. Julie's husband, Carson, opened the door and let then in. He had tears on his face. Quickly, he led them up to Julie's bedroom. Sasha was weeping at the side of the bed.

Julie's face was pale. Her hands were still, and her hair was stringy. Her daughters, Heather and Nicole, were crying in Sasha's arms.

Julie Lark Dale was dead.


	5. Sorrow, Pain, and then Happiness

**Sorrow, Pain, and then Happiness**

"We came too late!" shouted Marana as she and Grace started crying. They sat between Heather and Nicole and took their sisters hands. They were ice cold. Jack said to Carson, "What happened to her?" He took his nieces by the hand and kneeled behind them. They turned and hugged him. Heather, who was now fifteen, said, "Father, it's hard to believe that Mother is really dead. She was always the reason why I wanted to live my life. I just hope she's happy up in Heaven." Then she ran from the room.

Back in the bedroom, Nicole, fourteen, spoke up, "Father, how are we going to manage without Mother?" He replied solemnly, "I don't know, darling. We'll just have to do the best we can."

Jack had one arm around the girl's shoulder. She leaned against him while Marana sighed, "With Caroline and Julie dead and Mother in England, our family feels empty." Sasha took her shoulders and said, "Don't ever think that, Marana. Our family is never empty." Then Marana looked into the corner. She saw someone there who she hadn't seen earlier. He sat in a chair facing the wall.

"Conrad!" she ran and hugged her older brother. He hugged her back.

"Conrad, what has happened to you?" He was pale, his hair was tangled, his clothes were dirty and torn, and he had a lot of cuts and bruises. He looked older than when Marana had last seen him. He looked at her with a tear in his dark eyes.

"Marana, I was fired." She gasped, "No, that's not possible!" He had been Admiral Conrad Lark, and he had been very honorable. How could he be fired? She stared in disbelief. He sighed. "Marana, Beckett isn't happy with the way I've been running my crews. He says I'm not hard enough on them. So he fired me. I'm afraid he's become more powerful lately." Marana hugged him again. She never wanted to let him go. Then she had a scary thought. "Oh, Conrad, what will you do for work?" He now had no job. He replied, "I don't know yet. All we can do is pray that Beckett will leave Port Royal and I can have my job back."

Heather, meanwhile, was crying at her desk. She would glance out at the fields and let out another sob for her mother. Julie had loved walking in the fields with her husband or daughters. She would pick fresh flowers to put in her hair. Then Heather realized something: Julie had given birth a few months earlier, and the new baby would not know her mother. That made Heather cry even more. Nicole heard her sobs and came into the room. "Heather, are you alright?" She screamed, "Go away!" as fiercely as she could and stood up. Nicole was running from the room with tears streaming down her cheeks. Heather ran after her. "Nicole, come back! I'm sorry." She hugged her sister. "Nicky, I'm sorry that I yelled at you. Mother's death is starting to change me." They hugged again and went back to Julie's room. Carson was lifting her body. Marana straightened and said, "Let me help." Together, Carson, Conrad, and Marana helped move her body into another bedroom, where they put her in her best dress and combed her hair. Then they wrapped her in blankets.

Marana went back to the other room and hugged Jack. She had stopped crying, but now there was a fearful expression on her face. She just stared, with no emotion, but her stare pierced Jack's heart. He kissed her cheek, and she returned it. They stood up and walked outside. Marana took the rope of the horse she and Jack had ridden. She stroked its fine copper mane, and suddenly he reminded her of Jack.

"Jacky, I've decided to call this lovely horse Jack, after my dear husband." She climbed onto him and nudged him forward. He got on behind her and they rode. They rode through the fields and flowers and came to the little brook that flowed across the meadow. Marana sat on the bank, with the stare still across her face. Jack sat next to her and took her by her waist. He pulled her into his lap. He undid her hair and smoothed it out as it draped on her back. She suddenly smiled.

"Well, Marana that may be the first time you've smiled in over an hour." She grinned at him. "Jack, when I felt your touch, I remembered the day you proposed to me. I was overwhelmed with happiness, and at first I was speechless. But then I thought about what it would be like if I spent the rest of my living days with you, and that's what made me say yes." She leaned back into his shoulders. She reached out and picked a bright pink rose from the bush next to them. She stared at it, and thought of Jack. He wrapped his arms around her as the sun began to set. "You are my rose, Marana." The sun set and they fell asleep.


	6. Lost

**Lost**

Marana woke up and found herself in Jack's arms. She was lying on the banks of the little brook behind Julie's house. The moon loomed overhead. Jack stood and helped Marana up. Jack looped his arm around her waist as they began to walk back to the house. Then there was a bang and a scream. Grace and Heather were screaming. Marana ran as fast as she could, finally reaching the side door, which had been locked. She groaned and went around to the front. The door was unlocked. She ran inside and found Grace, who was trapped in a corner, screaming while a man kept trying to stab her. Sasha was restraining him Heather and Nicole were huddled in another corner, behind a statue. Marana and Jack quickly drew their swords. They all began fighting. She shouted, "Sasha, take Grace and hide in the bedroom! Heather and Nicole get to your room and lock the door!" She stabbed the man she was fighting with. As he fell, Jack took out the other one. Then there was another yell. They ran upstairs, dodging more men, and found the source of the sound. Conrad kneeled on the floor of the hallway, with his arm dripping blood.

Barbossa stood over him with a pistol, ready to shoot. Marana pulled out her own pistol and shot him first. She had gotten him just below his heart, and he fell to the ground, unconscious. Jack kneeled so he was at level with Conrad and started bandaging the cut on his arm. When they stood up, Marana suddenly collapsed. She had a bullet in her stomach, right above where the baby was growing. She tried to cover it with her hand, but the blood kept pouring out. She lay flat on the floor, her legs, arms, and stomach covered with blood. Jack's face twisted with rage, and he reached out and strangled the man who had shot her. There were still more men running around the house. Jack lifted her and walked into one of the bedrooms. He locked the door and put her on the bed. She started gasping. Jack hugged her, not caring if her blood got on him. He took her shirt off and looked at the wound. It was sticky with blood. He dried it with some rags and then washed it. As he tied a bandage around it, a tear fell from his eyes and onto the bandage. Marana looked at him crying and hugged him.

She stared deep into his eyes and whispered, "Jack, it hurts so much." Her eyes were full of tears. Jack leaned down and said, "Don't worry, Marana. I'll be right at your side." His voice was shaky. He never wanted to let go of her. Then more gunshots rang out through the house. Someone was trying to get into the room where Jack and Marana were. She quickly took him by the shoulders and kissed him. "Jack, I'm going to kick myself for this later, but I want you to go and help the others. Find my sisters, find Conrad, and get rid of those men. Go now. I love you." He left the room. Marana re-locked the door and sat in fear.

Jack sprinted through the house, gathering the girls and Conrad and killing whoever stood in his way. Then he realized something: now there were East India Co. soldiers. He spotted Beckett among them. He held Celeise's hand. He spotted Jack. Jack ran back to the room where Marana was. He left the girls in there and brought Marana out. He carried Marana outside and helped her get onto their horse. Then he got up behind her. She urged it forward, and they galloped away from the house and towards Port Royal. Jack held tight around her waist. The horse's hooves pounded hard on the dirt road. Then they heard more galloping. Jack looked behind them and saw Beckett's white horse. Cutler and Celeise were catching up to them. Jack let out a nervous gulp.

"What's wrong, Jacky?" uttered Marana. Jack responded almost in a shout, "Nothing, my dear, just keep riding." Marana kept a tight grip on the leather reins. Beckett was still gaining, until he almost caught them. Marana finally figured out that he was there, and veered off of the road and into some woods. She maneuvered over roots and rocks, almost falling off. She leaned forward and held tight to the reins. They were well away from the road. Beckett kept gaining. Celeise was holding onto his arms, scared to death. They traveled a twisted trail, past houses and roads, until Marana's horse tripped. Marana and Jack were flung headfirst over the horse's head, and they crashed to the ground. Beckett halted his horse and got down. He helped Celeise step off, who was clinging to the animal's neck with a terrified look on her face. Marana's cheek had struck a rock, and was bleeding a lot. Jack kneeled beside her and held her around her waist. Celeise sat in front of her and stroked the other side of her face.

Beckett stood before her. Her big brown eyes met his cold blue ones. He tore a piece of the lace off of his sleeve and soaked it with water from a nearby stream. As he brought it to her face, Jack pulled her away.

"Get your hands away from my wife."

Beckett looked annoyed and angry. "Sparrow, as you might not have noticed, we're lost out here. I didn't realize where I was going until you two fell off the horse. We've got to be at least forty miles inland." He sat where Celeise had been and cleaned Marana's face. She winced at his touch at first, but it was gentle. He washed all the blood off and stood up. He checked her horse and said grimly, "It's dead." Marana sighed and tried to stand up, but Jack held her down. "You took a hard hit there, love. You need to rest." She resisted him and addressed everyone. "Beckett, Celeise, Jack, do any of you know anything about survival in this kind of area?" They all shook their heads. She sighed again and continued, "Well I do, so you had better listen to me, or you could very well die." She gathered a bunch of stray twigs and made a small fire. Then she observed her companions: her husband, her enemy, and her friend. She stood again and went back to her dead horse. She unclipped something from the saddle. It was a small leather bag, which she brought before the others. "My sister gave it to me before we left. There's some bread and water, but not much else." She tore small chunks of bread from the loaf and dealt them out to the others before taking some for herself. As she ate, she leaned on Jack's shoulders. Celeise held her husband's hand as tight as she could.

That night, Jack and Marana prepared an area to sleep, under a large oak tree. As Celeise and Beckett walked away to find another place to sleep, Marana spoke out, "It would do not one of us any good to get separated. We should stay together as best as possible." They stubbornly settled under another tree somewhat close to where she and Jack were.

When the others were asleep, Marana got up and crept over to the fire. She stirred the dying embers with a long stick and thought about how they were going to get back to Port Royal. Suddenly a voice snuck up on her.

"Marana, you shouldn't be up this late in your condition." She replied, as he sat next to her, "Jack, someone needs to keep watch. And I need time to think. I'm in charge of all of you. And already it's a large burden to bear." Jack wrapped his arm around her shoulder. "Darling, let me watch for you." She glanced up into his eyes. "No, I want you to get some sleep, and I want some time alone with my thoughts. Go back to bed."

"But-"

"Shh, you'll wake the others." She gestured at Beckett and Celeise, who slept peacefully under their tree. Celeise shifted in his tight grasp but slept on. Jack scowled at them. "I don't care if they go without sleep until we return to Port Royal.

Marana frowned at him. "Jack, I'm still angry at Beckett, but I do care about Celeise. Now go back to bed." Jack gave her a gentle hug and went back to their tree. She went back to stirring the fire and thinking.


	7. Slight Progress

**Slight Progress**

When they all woke up the next morning, a feeling of guilt had come over Beckett. He approached Marana and uttered, "Miss Lark…" When she shot him an ugly look, he corrected himself, "Sorry, _Mrs. Sparrow, _I wish I could take back every bad thing I've ever done to you. I assure you that I didn't mean to do all of those things." He gazed into her eyes for a while before sitting with Celeise. Marana built a new fire over the ashes of the old one. Then she divided the bread loaf in half. She handed one half to Beckett and tucked the other half into her pocket. She explained, "I think we should all be supplied, in case we're separated." She stared down at the fire and added a few twigs to it. Then she clutched her stomach. She gasped in pain and started to fall forward. Beckett, who had been sitting near her, caught her and helped her back up. She leaned on Jack and said, "The baby's been trouble lately. But there's still at least six months before I deliver."

Later that morning, they started walking. Marana carried the leather pack, while Beckett held the lead rope of his horse. She walked ahead of the others, trying to remember the trail they'd taken before. Celeise walked in silence, listening as her husband muttered to himself. She reached out and clasped his hand. Their eyes met, and they smiled slightly. Jack walked slightly behind them, covering their tracks. Every time he took a step, he would kick some dirt behind him. Marana kept one hand on the pack strap, and the other hand on her belly. The hand on her belly strayed to her sword belt. She still wore the medallion that Jack gave her. She untied it from the belt and tied it around her neck. She tucked it into her shirt and looked behind her.

They emerged from the woods over six hours later. There were still over forty miles ahead of them.

They approached a river at the edge of the woods. Marana went to the bank and waded in. as she got further in, she determined the depth.

"It's at least six feet deep." She said to them as she got out. Cutler and Celeise looked shocked. Quickly, Marana had a plan.

"Beckett, Celeise, get onto the horse. Jack will lead you across. I'll swim." She handed the rope to Jack as they climbed on. He stepped into the water. When they were halfway across, Marana unbuttoned her shirt and eased it off of her shoulders. She adjusted her undershirt and started into the water. Then she started swimming. She swam slowly, since her weapons were heavy. Jack brought the horse onto the shore. Then Marana's knee hit a rock. She struggled with the rushing water while it bled. As she reached down to feel how deep the water was, she fell under.

"Marana!" Jack let go of the rope and jumped in after her. She lay on the bottom, her head next to the rock she'd hit. He swam down to her and grabbed her waist. He pulled her up to the surface. They were gasping and coughing. Celeise splashed in to help them. She helped Jack lift Celeise onto the sand. Marana gasped and saw them all standing over her. Then she sat up and started coughing out all of the water. Jack carried her over to a tree and leaned her against it. He hugged her tightly. "Marana, thank God you're alright!" He kissed her face. She smiled and buried her face in his wet shoulder. Beckett examined Celeise's arms for damage. She smiled and hugged him. He kissed her cheek very slightly. Jack stood up and tied the horse to a tree. "It's not easy crossing a river with four people and one horse, especially if one of the people is a pregnant woman." he muttered under his breath. Marana motioned for Celeise to sit with her. She took the girl's hand and held it to her heart. "Thank you, Celeise Beckett." They hugged each other. Then Jack came over. He lifted Marana and put her onto the horse. Just as Jack took the lead rope, Beckett stopped him.

"It's my horse." he glared at Jack and took the rope from him. They started walking again. Marana held the reins with one hand while she put her shirt back on with the other. She looked down at Beckett, on her left side, and at Jack and Celeise on her right side. They made slow progress through a second stretch of woods.

By nightfall, they had covered a total of barely six miles. Celeise was slow, because of her dress. Beckett was slow because he had to lead the horse. And Jack refused to leave his wife's side. They settled under a small canopy of trees. Jack built a fire and helped Marana off the horse. Once he set her down, Beckett cleaned her knee. When no one was looking, he swept one finger down her face before going back to the fire. She refused to fall asleep. Jack sat next to her and gripped her shoulder. He kissed the side of her forehead and set her head on his chest. He whispered in her ear, "You have to sleep tonight, love. I'll keep watch. You have to get some rest." She nodded and tore a piece off of her chunk of bread, which was still a little wet from when she had been in the river. As she chewed, she thought of how Beckett had touched her cheek. How was he suddenly so nice to her? She fell asleep pondering about it.


	8. Separated

**Separated**

Throughout the next day, the group moved a little faster. Marana could walk, so they gained speed. Jack still stayed close to her. Celeise stared at the ground constantly. They passed through the woods until the reached a break, where the woods stretched out on either side of a group of hills. They walked on the edge of the trees, in the shadows, to avoid being seen as much as possible.

They walked silently hour by hour. No one felt like talking. Marana was afraid that they would never get back to Port Royal. She tried Jack's compass, but for each of them it pointed somewhere different. They would just have to trust Marana's judgment.

They went on like that for almost a week. They got lost quite a few times, and they kept going in circles. Finally, when they were at the same stretch of hills, they heard something. Looking behind them, they saw a group of horses gaining on them.

It was getting dark. The horses were getting closer still. Marana, Jack, and Beckett drew their swords as the redcoats slid down in front of them. One of them held up two sheets of parchment.

"Jack Sparrow and Marana Lark have an appointment with the gallows back in Port Royal. Governor Swann demands their immediate return. As for you, Lord Beckett, you and your Lady could very well be in trouble for helping these pirates." Beckett took Celeise's hand as Marana said bravely, "They weren't helping me. Rather...I was helping them. And let me tell you, we're not going with you." They all started fighting. Rain began to fall, and it was difficult to see anything. Celeise was cowering in fear behind a tree. Her pink dress and her whimpering soon gave her away. A soldier tried to stab her, but Jack got him first. He pulled his sword out of the man's back and pushed the body off to the side. As he heard a gunshot, he pressed his body to Celeise's and held her to the ground.

Marana and Beckett were having a tough time. Marana got hit a lot, and Beckett still wasn't very skilled with a sword.

Jack grabbed Celeise's hand and said, "I'm going to kick myself for this later, but we have to split up." She gasped, "No! I don't want to leave my husband!"

"And I don't want to leave my wife, but it'll catch the soldiers off guard." It took Celeise only a second to agree.

They got up and _ran. _

Marana drove her sword into yet another soldier. As he fell to the ground, she looked for Jack and Celeise, but she couldn't find them. Desperately, she turned to Beckett. "They're gone," she said, almost in tears. Together, they searched everywhere for them, but they had no luck. Marana tried as hard as she could to hold back the tears that were gathering in her eyes, but they spilled out. As she cried, Beckett noticed something. Along the trail, every fifth tree had a blade of grass tied to a low branch. He took one off, muttering, "These weren't there before." He walked back and kneeled next to her. He held up the piece of grass.

"Marana, Jack and Celeise have marked their trail. All we have to do is follow it, and we'll find them." He offered her his hand, and he helped her stand up. They began to follow the trail. Beckett tried to talk to her, but she was silent.

Meanwhile, Jack was tying grass to another tree. Celeise was doing the same about twenty feet away. They tied grass on the branches that were at eye level, and preferably ones that stuck out over the trail. When it was completely dark, and they were about five miles away from where the others were, Jack said, "This is far enough. We'll just wait here until the others find us."

Silently, Jack built a fire. A slight breeze was blowing. Celeise held her hands close to the fire to dry them off. Jack shook the water out of his hat.

That night, Jack and Celeise slept under nearby trees, behind large bushes, to stay out of sight.

Beckett and Marana were exhausted. They had made slow progress, because they were so tired. They had covered only about half a mile. Like the others, they slept under nearby trees, staying out of sight. But in the middle of the night, Marana woke to a strange noise. She sat up. A large red fox was walking slowly towards her, showing its fangs and growling. Beckett woke up just as she drew her sword. Once she had stabbed it, he grabbed her hand, shouting, "Run! There may be more!" Marana sheathed her sword, and they ran, being careful to follow Jack's trail. But since it was so dark, Marana had trouble seeing, and she tripped on a root.

As she fell to the ground, her knee struck a rock, and the scab was ripped open. Blood poured out. Without thinking first, Beckett picked her up and carried her over to a stream, where he washed her knee and tied a bandage over it. As he did so, he bumped into her, and her shirt slipped off of one shoulder, revealing a scar. Marana clapped her hand over it and said darkly, "That's where you stabbed me. I'll have you know that it got infected, and I almost died from it." He said nothing as he secured the bandage around her knee.

Their eyes met, Beckett's with a look of sympathy, and Marana's with a look of forgiveness. She touched his cheek gently and stood up. She walked over to a tree, sat down, leaned against it, and fell asleep.


	9. Trouble

**Trouble**

Jack and Celeise got tired of waiting. They started back along the trail. As they walked, they removed the blades of grass from the trees, so no one could find them.

"Jack, do you think that we'll ever see them again?" Celeise asked him. He stepped a little closer and touched her hand. "Don't worry, love. They'll be fine. Just keep walking."

They came to a small river. Holding hands, they waded in. It was about twenty feet wide. When they were halfway across, Celeise caught her foot on a root. As she tried to get it out, she fell forward into the water. Jack ducked under. He pulled her foot out of the root and lifted her up to the surface. He carried her through the water, which was about four feet deep, and set her down on the shore. Then he saw two figures on the other side of the river. On one of them, he saw a lot of long dark hair, and he knew right away who it was.

"Marana!"

"Jack!" She ran into the water and made her way towards him. When they met in the middle, Jack caught her with a strong embrace. Marana pressed her lips to his cheek, and then to his mouth. She never wanted to let go of him.

Beckett reached the shore. He kneeled before his wife and stroked her hair. She smiled and gave him a gentle kiss. Then her ankle started throbbing. She cried out and rubbed it, to ease the pain. He asked, "Celeise, what's wrong?" She bit down on her lip and replied, "I twisted my ankle when Jack and I were crossing the river. He was helping me across. My ankle got caught on a root, but I'm alright now." She hugged him as Marana and Jack reached the shore.

Marana squeezed the water out of her hair and put her hair into a loose ponytail. She addressed everyone, "We are _not_getting separated again." They moved off into the woods and settled under a group of trees.

The sun was beginning to set. Marana built a fire. She and Jack lay between the roots of an old oak tree. Once Beckett and Celeise were asleep, Jack wrapped his arms around her waist and kissed her. She rested her head on his chest and inhaled the smell of gunpowder, rum, and ash. She closed her eyes and fell asleep. He stayed awake so he could feel his wife in his arms, and listen to her calmed breathing and her heartbeat. He finally fell asleep too. Marana was the first to wake up in the morning. She had turned over, and Jack's hands rested right over where the baby was growing. She looked at the other two, who were still asleep. Slowly, she pulled herself back, so her head was right next to Jack's. She kissed his lips very gently. He then woke up. He pulled Marana down on top of him and pressed his lips to hers, his hands around her back. When he let go, Marana sat up. As the others woke up, she quickly moved away from Jack and stood up. Then she had an idea, one that might get them back to Port Royal.

"Jack, give me your compass." She opened it and gazed at the spinning dial. It pointed towards the east. She passed it around to the others, and each time it pointed in the same direction. She closed it, tied it to her belt, and said triumphantly, "Come on. Let's go."

They started walking, going in the direction the compass had indicated. Every few hours they would stop to rest. When they were sitting around a bunch of tree stumps, Marana realized something: Beckett had lost his wig, and she had never even noticed. His hair was wavy and brown, and just about reached his shoulders. Marana liked him better this way. It made him seem less intimidating. She looked over at Jack, who caught her eye and smiled; and Celeise, who came and sat next to her. Marana said quietly, "What are we going to do once we return to Port Royal?"

"I hadn't thought of that, marana." replied Beckett. "It would be best for you and Jack to take the _Pearl_and leave." She looked over at Jack again, and he reached over and took her hand.

They all stood up and started walking again, Marana and Jack at the front, and Celeise and Beckett behind them. Marana stood slightly in front of Jack, one hand holding his and the other holding the compass. They walked almost completely straight.

When they stopped for the night, Marana kept watch while everyone else slept.

She sat against a tree. She gazed at Jack, who was smiling in his sleep. Celeise and Beckett were both asleep, holding hands.

"Love is a dangerous weapon, isn't it?" she heard Jack whisper. He sat down beside her. She gathered her dark hair into a loose and messy bun. "What are you implying, Jack?" He leaned into her, his body against hers, and whispered in her ear, "It can keep a man and a woman together, like we are now. Or…it can tear them apart, like it did to us a few weeks ago. "He was about to kiss her, but she pressed her finger to his lips.

"Jacky, I hear something." She pulled away from him and listened. She heard several people talking. She said to Jack, "Stay here and watch the others. I'll go see what it is." Slowly, and being careful not to make a sound, she crept towards the sounds. She peered through the thick branches of a large bush and saw a group of armed redcoats sitting around a fire.

She heard a voice that sounded very familiar.

"Do you still have the warrants, lieutenant?"

"Yes, sir, all four of them." replied another voice. She heard rustling, and four papers were placed in the hands of James Norrington. He shuffled through them. "Let's see, there's one for Jack Sparrow, one for Marana Lark, one for Lord Beckett, and one for his wife, Lady Beckett."

"Why Lord and Lady Beckett, sir?" asked one of the redcoats. James tucked the papers into a pocket in his coat and answered, "Lord Beckett is accused of kidnapping Julie Lark, and he and his Lady are both guilty of aiding pirates."

"And what will become of them, sir?" the soldier asked.

"They will all be imprisoned and eventually hanged."

Marana, as quickly as possible, crept back to the others. She grabbed Jack by his shoulders and whispered, "Jack, James Norrington and a group of soldiers are very close. We have to leave now. They're after us, and they're after Beckett and Celeise as well."

"Indeed we are." James stood in front of her, with a pistol pointed at her head. She and Jack both stood up. Then she heard a click. She looked over at Beckett, who had his gun pointed at Jack's head. She opened her mouth to say something, but James spoke first, "Lieutenant, fetch the irons." Marana heard the sound of clinking chains, and she, Jack, Beckett, and Celeise were all put in shackles. All of the sets of irons were connected by a longer chain. The soldiers shoved them forward, and they began to walk. Marana was between Jack and Beckett.

They reached Port Royal as the sun was setting the next evening. They were all put into one prison cell. They were in an underground section of the prison.

Beckett glared at Marana. "This never would have happened if you hadn't run after those soldiers." She looked surprised. "Oh, that's a lovely way to thank me for trying to save your life. If I hadn't gone after them, they would have caught us easily. At least we had a chance to get away." He lost control. He backhanded her across her face. She fell back into Jack's arms, a large bruise growing under her left eye. Celeise grabbed him by his shoulders and shoved him against the wall. "Cutler, what do you think you're doing?" He looked ashamed. Jack glared at him and hugged Marana protectively. He kept her as far away from Beckett as possible. He reached out to her. "Marana, I'm sorry."

"Get away from me, you creep!" She screamed, backing into the wall. He angrily pulled out his pistol, which hadn't been taken when they were disarmed. He pointed it at her head. Then Marana shouted, "Wait! Please don't shoot!" She knew how they were going to get out. She reached out. "Beckett, give me the pistol." He tucked it into his coat. She got angry. "Beckett, give it to me! I can get us out of here!" He still refused. Celeise slipped her hand into the coat and pulled it out. As he made a grab for it, she tossed it to Marana. He tried to take it back, but she pointed it at his head. He backed off. She calmed down. "Now, I am going to get us out of here, and I don't want to hear a word from any of you." She went to work on the lock. She opened the barrel of the pistol and poured the gunpowder into the lock, dropping the bullet. She then took a stick and reached out through the bars, using the stick to knock her pistol off of its hook on the opposite wall. She grabbed it and aimed at the lock. Once she fired, the lock exploded, and the door opened.

They all grabbed their weapons and ran down the corridor. Outside, it was raining heavily. The ground was flooding, and the water was spilling into the prison. As they reached the staircase that led outside, they became trapped. Water was pouring down the stairs, high enough to prevent them from leaving. Jack and Beckett grabbed their wives and pulled them down the corridor. The water rushed in ever faster, coming up to their ankles. They were halted near their cell. Four soldiers blocked their path.


	10. Escape

**Escape**

Each soldier grabbed one of them. Marana struggled and fought, but it was no use. They were all put in shackles again, and led down to a room at the end of the corridor. They were shoved inside, and the door was closed and locked. The water was already almost reaching their knees.

Celeise started crying. She leaned on Beckett's shoulders. All of them were desperate. Jack spotted a lantern hanging on the wall. He had an idea.

"If one of us gets that lantern down, we can use the oil to get one of the pairs of shackles off." He reached up to get it, but it was too high up. He pushed a stool up to the wall and climbed up. He grabbed the lantern and jumped down. Beckett observed, "The person with the smallest hands will have the best chance of getting out of the shackles. That will be either Marana or Celeise." The girls compared hand sizes. Marana's were smaller. She stepped forward. Jack crashed the lantern against the wall and poured the oil over her hands. Celeise held her hands steady as Jack and Beckett each took a cuff and pulled. She folded her thumbs in and pulled her hands back. The cuffs opened a little, but soon her hands were stuck. Beckett pulled harder, and the cuff came off. She wiped the oil on her jacket as Jack pulled the other cuff off.

Marana dropped the shackles into the water, which was now almost to their thighs. She shouted, "Everyone, look around; see if you can find a key!" They all searched through the room, opening drawers and cabinets, searching for a key. Beckett found a large ring of keys. The water came in faster. It was up to their waists. Marana was becoming frantic. "Cutler, quick! Get us out of here!" He looked surprised, "Did you just call me Cutler?" She pushed him to the door. He tried each of the keys (there we 38 of them) on the door. When he had used the last one, he turned to Marana. "None of them work!" She grabbed the ring. "Well, look for some more, then!" She stuck each of the keys into the lock. The water was rising to her stomach. Finally the door opened. A wall of water as high as her head poured down on her. She was knocked under the surface. She felt someone lift her. Beckett pulled her to the surface.

She stood up and clapped her hand onto his shoulder. Then she heard Jack shouting, "Marana, Beckett, come over here!" They ran over to him. He continued, "There's a weak ring on my shackles. If you each take one of my arms and pull, then it might be enough to break it." Celeise grabbed a candle from the wall and kept the flame on the weak ring. Beckett and Marana each took one of his arms and pulled as hard as they could. The ring eventually broke. Then Jack pointed at a cannon. He thought awhile before saying, "I could fire it at the wall, and we could escape that way." Marana brushed her wet hair off of her forehead and smiled. "Jack, that's fantastic, but how are you going to light it?"

Jack took the candle from Celeise and stuck it down into the cannon. There was a loud BANG and the cannonball crashed through the wall, creating a large hole just big enough for one of them to squeeze through. Water rushed into the room, climbing up their bodies inch by inch. Marana grabbed Beckett's hand, and Jack grabbed Celeise's, and they went through the hole one by one. Marana swam with one hand and held tight to Beckett's hand with the other one.

The four of them came up to the surface. They swam up to a huge rock. Jack and Celeise went up first, followed by Marana. She climbed up and lay on her stomach at the top. She reached down for Beckett's hand, but his fingers just barely brushed hers. She shouted to Jack, "Don't let me fall! I have to get down lower!" She eased herself a little lower as Jack held onto her waist. She grabbed Beckett's hand and pulled as hard as she could. She helped him sit on top of the rock. Celeise gave him a choking hug. Then he broke away and spoke to the others. "Marana, you and Jack may stay at our house overnight. I doubt you'll be able to leave in this storm."

Once they were at Beckett's house, they locked all the doors and windows. Jack and Marana were given the spare bedroom. As they dried off, Celeise gave Marana one of her nightgowns. It tied like a corset in the back. Jack tied the laces as Marana dried her hair with a towel. Suddenly, he hugged her around the waist. He ran his hands up and down her stomach. She turned around and kissed him with so much force that he fell back onto the bed. When she let go, she was on top of him. He grinned slyly.

"Marana, darling, don't plan on having just one baby." They sat up. Marana took his hands. "How many children do you want, my Jacky?" He grinned again. "I want four children, love. Four little Sparrows." She looked surprised. "Jacky, I want two children."

"Well, I want four."

"I want two."

"Four."

"Two."

"Four."

"How about three, then?"

Jack look defeated. "I don't even think my beautiful, lovely, ravishing, irresistible pirate wife could take care of four children. You wouldn't have the strength, since it would be all used up on me."

She said dramatically, "You've hurt me, Jack." She clapped her hand to her heart and fell back onto the pillows. He was laughing. She tried to get up, but she was trapped under him. He leaned down and kissed her neck. "Three children would be fine, love." They fell asleep in each other's arms.

Meanwhile, Beckett and Celeise were in their own room. Beckett walked out onto the balcony while Celeise combed her hair. When the blonde locks were completely straight, she joined her husband. She gave him a gentle hug. There was a slight breeze, causing her hair to coil around his neck. When he let go, he gave her a deep, longing kiss. Then he pulled away. He said sternly, "Celeise, I need to tell you something."

She stood up straight. He sighed, "I will likely lose my position in the company for what we have done in the past couple of weeks." Celeise saw the sad look on his face and took his hands. She hugged him and whispered in his ear, with a sly grin, "We'll just see about that."


	11. Captain Sparrow Epilogue

**Captain Sparrow (Epilogue)**

The next morning, Celeise and Marana went to Governor Swann's office. Celeise was arguing for Jack's freedom, and Marana was arguing for the right for Beckett to keep his job. They wore identical dresses-black with red embroidery-and did their hair in the same way. They looked like twins, except for their hair color. Both girls carried pistols. By the end of the meeting, two soldiers were dead, Governor Swann was scared senseless, and the girls were smiling. They had both won. Jack would be free, and Beckett would keep his position.

That afternoon, Jack and Marana were down at the docks. Beckett and Celeise were there too, to see them off. Beckett had a new wig, and he wore his regular clothes. Marana had a new outfit on: a tight navy blue shirt with loose sleeves and a tight leather band slightly above each elbow; a knee-length navy blue skirt with black embroidery; a wide, armor-plated belt; brown sea boots; and a brown tricorn hat. She also wore gem-studded vambraces on her forearms.

A group of ships sailed into the bay. There were two junks and three sloops. Each of them flew the same black flag: a skull with a sparrow on either side. Marana gasped as Abigail Sinclaire slid down a rope and landed in front of her, followed by Jacob Smith, Jordan Laurence, and John Bergen. She was in utter shock as her four oldest friends approached her. Her first words to them were, with a smile, "What are you doing?" Abigail clasped one of her shoulders and replied, "Sailing under your colors, Captain Sparrow." Marana gazed up at the flags again. John spoke up, "Each of us have a ship. We have one for you as well." He pointed at one of the junks. It was the most beautiful ship Marana had ever seen. It was turquoise and crimson, with crimson sails. Jordan clasped her other shoulder. "W e would like you to name it." She took Jack's hand and stood at the end of the dock. She thought awhile before responding, "My ship shall be called the _Red Dragon._"

She and Jack climbed onto the _Black Pearl. _Jack looked sad. He leaned on the rail. "You're going to leave me now, aren't you?" She looked into his eyes. "No, Jack, we're coming with you."

When the ships set sail, Marana and Jack were on the _Red Dragon. _She was steering. Her new first mate, Maria, came up to her and inquired, "Where are we headed, Captain Sparrow?" Marana smiled and replied, "We are off to the ends of the horizon, Maria." Jack grabbed his wife, twirled her around, and kissed her. At that moment, the two Captain Sparrow's were the happiest people in the world.


End file.
